Nigeria will be without Victor Osimhen for the opening matches of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign after Galatasaray confirmed that the striker is nursing a significant groin injury.
Osimhen suffered the injury during Galatasaray’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir, despite making an early impact by scoring the opening goal.
The Turkish champions revealed that Osimhen and midfielder Mario Lemina have both sustained a “moderate to advanced level strain with bleeding in the right groin area.”
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According to the club, both players are receiving treatment and are expected to return after the current international break.
The development means Osimhen is unlikely to feature when the Super Eagles begin their AFCON qualifying campaign against Madagascar in Uyo on September 25.
Nigeria will then travel to face Guinea-Bissau four days later, with both matches scheduled for 16:00 GMT.
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The Super Eagles are in Group L alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and Tanzania, who are automatically qualified for the tournament as co-hosts. Nigeria will need to finish as the best-ranked qualifying team in the group to secure their place at the 2027 AFCON.
Osimhen’s absence is a major setback for head coach Eric Chelle, particularly at the beginning of a new qualifying campaign.
The Galatasaray forward has become one of Nigeria’s most important attacking players, with his pace, strength, movement and goals making him a difficult player to replace.
His injury also comes at a challenging time for the Super Eagles following their failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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Nigeria have faced both September opponents in previous AFCON qualifying campaigns. The Super Eagles defeated Madagascar home and away during the qualifiers for the 2012 tournament, while Guinea-Bissau recorded a famous victory in Abuja during the 2023 AFCON qualifiers before Nigeria responded with a win in Bissau.
With Osimhen unavailable, Chelle will have to find an alternative attacking option for the two fixtures.
Nigeria still have other talented forwards available, but replacing Osimhen’s all-round contribution will be a difficult task. His ability to stretch defences, battle with defenders, hold up play and attack balls in the box gives the Super Eagles an attacking dimension that will be missed.
The first challenge will come against Madagascar in Uyo, where Nigeria will be expected to begin the campaign with three points.
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The trip to Guinea-Bissau four days later could provide an even tougher test, making Osimhen’s absence particularly significant.
Galatasaray, meanwhile, will hope the striker responds well to treatment and is able to return to action soon after the international break.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – AUGUST 22: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is seen before the game between the New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever at Barclays Center on August 22, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has announced that she will retire from her position at the end of 2026, bringing her seven-year tenure as the league’s first-ever commissioner to a close.
Engelbert, who took over in 2019, made the announcement in a letter to WNBA players on Friday, saying: “I have decided to retire as Commissioner of the WNBA, effective December 31 of this year.”
Reflecting on her time in charge, Engelbert said the role became “seven plus years of the most meaningful, demanding, and rewarding years of my life.”
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Her tenure has had a major period of growth for the WNBA: a new collective bargaining agreement, record media rights investment, increased player salaries and league expansion.
Engelbert thanked the players for challenging the league to improve, adding: “You made this league stronger, and you made me a better leader.”
She also expressed confidence in the WNBA’s future, writing: “I make this announcement with enormous pride in what we’ve accomplished together, profound gratitude for the opportunity to lead alongside you, and complete confidence that the future of the WNBA is brighter than ever.”
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She will remain in the role through December 31 to oversee the transition to the next commissioner.
He became cruiserweight world champion in just his 10th bout when he defeated Krzysztof Głowacki to win the WBO strap, and went on to earn undisputed honours before moving up to the heavyweight division.
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The Ukrainian repeated that success at heavyweight to become only the second man to accomplish that after Evander Holyfield, defeating Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois all on two occasions each to twice become undisputed in the banner division.
None of those names came to mind for Usyk though when he was asked by Ring Champs With Ak & Barak who the best fighter he ever faced was, instead going for the man he took on in his final cruiserweight outing.
“Tony Bellew. Big heart, big fighter’s heart, and smart.”
Usyk defended his undisputed cruiserweight crown against Tony Bellew in November 2018, claiming an eighth round knockout win in what would prove to be Bellew’s final bout before retirement.
After two unsuccessful world title bids at light heavyweight, Bellew’s crowning moment had come in May 2016 when he defeated Ilunga Makabu at Goodison Park in Liverpool to become WBC cruiserweight champion.
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He notably then headed up to heavyweight for two fights with David Haye, with Bellew winning both of them by stoppage, with his final record reading 30 wins from 34 professional fights.
The passing of former AEW star Andy Williams has broken the hearts of thousands worldwide. He was an amazing human being, a talented musician, and a good in-ring competitor. Many wrestlers paid tribute to him after his death. Even one of Triple H’s closest friends was shattered by this tragedy.
WWE Hall of Famer X-Pac was distraught when he learned of Andy Williams’s death. The 54-year-old retired from in-ring competition a few years back; however, he is still signed to the sports entertainment juggernaut under a legends contract. He shared screenshots of his chat with the departed wrestler a few hours ago on X.
The former AEW star had texted him back in April 2022. Williams’s wanted to help the legend recover from an injury.
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“Hey brother! I know we don’t know each other, but I’ve torn both of my biceps and never had them repaired. Let me know if I can help in anyway. I’ve dealt with this for about 6 years now and it’s not the end of the world and pretty easy recovery!” read William’s text.
X-Pac’s reply was equally wholesome.
“Hey man! I appreciate you reaching out. I noticed you tore yours. I already tore the right one & didn’t get it fixed. Tore my pec at same time. Now this one. 🙂 saw my surgeon & had git an MRI when I got home Monday. I made it through my match I Dallas ok. At least my bicep made it through. My groin is pulled or torn, but whatever. So I’m waiting to see when I can get it fixed,” read his reply.
The veteran wrote in the caption of this post that he is sad that he never got to meet the former Butcher in person.
“I’m sad that we’ll never get that chance to meet. I wish we had more people with a heart like your’s in our industry. Rest well, Andy.🙏💔,” he wrote.
Andy Williams was with AEW from 2019 to 2026
Andy Williams was under All Elite Wrestling’s banner for seven years. He is best known for his partnership with the Blade. The duo was collectively known as the Butcher and the Blade.
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Although the Butcher and the Blade never became AEW World Tag Team Champions, they had a strong fan base. They held the PWR Tag Team Championship once.
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A Wigan boy, Farrell came from a strong rugby league background, cousin of former Wigan Warriors captain Andy, now head coach of Ireland’s rugby union team.
Coming through the Warriors’ academy system, Farrell was handed his debut as a teenager in April 2010 and by the end of that year, he was appearing in Wigan’s Grand Final success over St Helens at Old Trafford, having also played a few games on loan at Widnes Vikings.
But since then, the forward has only ever played for the Cherry and Whites – a pillar of consistency in the pack.
As well as the team honours, Farrell has been included in the Super League Dream Team on six occasions, while he was also the Harry Sunderland Trophy winner as player of the match in the 2016 Grand Final win over Warrington Wolves.
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He was the natural replacement to succeed Thomas Leulaui as Wigan skipper and his quiet steel and authority have been at the forefront of a new glorious era for the club under head coach Matt Peet.
Farrell has won seven of the 11 trophies up for grabs during his time as captain, the most recent being the Challenge Cup at Wembley in May, and he may add two more before he retires as Wigan chase the League Leaders’ Shield and the Grand Final next month.
“You have to make the right call at the right time, and I think I have done that,” he said. “Speaking to people close to me, professionals and the advice I have been given, it’s the right time.
“Playing one game for Wigan was always the goal for me. If I had have done that and never played again I’d have been immensely proud, my family would have been proud and we’d have gone back to being Wigan fans. So to have been able to play over 400 games in this jersey has been nothing short of incredible.”
Pakistan’s Babar Azam celebrates after taking a catch to dismiss England’s Ben Duckett during the second Test at the Lord’s against England. (AP)
NEW DELHI: The ghost of match-fixing has returned to haunt the Pakistan cricket team and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) during the ongoing three-match Test series against England. After losing the second Test by 194 runs at Lord’s, PCB decided to drop Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Imam-ul-Haq, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Awais Zafar. Sarfaraz Ahmed, the head coach, and Umar Gul, the bowling coach, were also released from their duties.In their place, seven players have been drafted into the squad, including five yet to make their international debuts. The two capped players are batters Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, while the uncapped group comprises pace-bowling all-rounders Razaullah Khan and Mohammad Imran, left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas, wicketkeeper Saad Baig and left-arm pacer Mohammad Imran Junior.It has been learnt that the drastic changes being made within Pakistan cricket were driven by reasons that were “more than cricket” and not merely a fallout of the team’s dismal performances. We have reached out to the concerned parties for a comment, including hosts the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and PCB. More than 72 hours later, we received no response.However, Amir Mir, PCB’s Director Media and Digital Communications, issued a public statement: “The Pakistan Cricket Board has initiated an internal disciplinary inquiry following media reports concerning discipline and conduct, which are currently being reviewed internally. The PCB handles such matters in accordance with its standard procedures. The process is being conducted under PCB regulations, ensuring that all concerned individuals are given due consideration.“According to Pakistani outlet 365 News, the players’ devices have been handed over to the PCB and will remain in the board’s custody until the conclusion of the final Test. The report did not disclose the identities of the players whose phones were confiscated, while the PCB has not publicly explained why the devices were taken into custody.
Every match of a series is important for us and we are not left with any option if a player is not performing but to look for his replacement. The purpose behind these changes is not to axe players from contention, but just to replace them
Mohsin Naqvi | PCB Chairman
A couple of days after making sweeping changes to the squad, PCB Director of High Performance Aaqib Javed launched a scathing attack on opening batter Imam-ul-Haq, who suffered a low-grade calf tear at Lord’s. Aaqib criticised Imam for not batting in either innings of the Lord’s Test and vowed to “take action” against him.“The Imam injury is a big question mark, and a deep disappointment. Players in the past used to get injuries, but they used to put on casts and still tried to play. We’ll take action against this. How is it possible that a pulled muscle ruled you out of batting in both innings? He should have tried and fought. He’ll have to face an inquiry; I can’t say he faked it, but a muscle pull like that cannot stop you from batting altogether,” Aaqib said in an interview with Pakistan broadcast network Geo.Aaqib had also defended the number of changes that were made mid-series. “The message we’re sending to the recalled players is that you have to raise your game on important tours and compete, and we should be able to see some effort,” he said.PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi echoed Aaqib Javed’s sentiments and defended their knee-jerk reaction in a vociferous manner. “Every match of a series is important for us and we are not left with any option if a player is not performing but to look for his replacement. The purpose behind these changes is not to axe players from contention, but just to replace them,” Naqvi told Geo Network.Incidentally, Lord’s was the venue for one of the biggest spot-fixing scandal in cricket and it involved the Pakistan cricket team. Then, captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were handed prison sentences and banned for taking bribes from a bookmaker to deliberately bowl no-balls at certain pre-aranged moments during the Test match in 2010.(The story will be updated once we receive responses to our queries.)
Scott White identifies 10 streaming pitchers for Fantasy Week 25, with Jacob Lopez and Andrew Painter leading the options to trust
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Streaming pitchers isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you find yourself without enough reliable options in a given scoring period, it may be what you need to stay afloat. Scott White has 10 recommendations for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in no more than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. Generally, only the top two or three are full-throated endorsements, while the rest are more about making the best of a bad situation.
Jan 4, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) teammates greet him on the sideline against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The final lingering question of the Vikings offseason has finally been answered. After an offseason of “will he, won’t he,” Harrison Smith has finally been announced as returning to Minnesota. It’s another year in purple for the Hitman.
While sending some credit to Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, the NFL’s social media sent the details: “Vikings S Harrison Smith agrees to terms to come back for 15th season on a 1-year, $12.25M deal with playoff incentives worth up to $16.25M.”
The Pros and Cons of Harrison Smith’s Return
It felt like a goodbye when he left the field to a hero’s reception in the Vikings’ final game of the 2025 season. While CJ Ham and Adam Thielen officially announced their retirements, Smith never said a word, which led to ongoing talk of one more season. It became official on Saturday when the team released the news of Smith’s return and a timely boost to the Vikings safety group.
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Members of the Minnesota Vikings defense, including Harrison Smith, participate in a postgame interview with WWE superstar Seth Rollins and NFL insider Dianna Russini after defeating the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Dec. 25, 2025. The nationally televised Christmas matchup featured a festive atmosphere as Minnesota celebrated the division victory in front of the home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
He agreed to terms to come back for his 15th season in the league, all of which have been as a Viking, on a 1-year, $12.25 million deal with playoff incentives. A Vikings legend is back for what seems like one last rodeo, which is exciting news for an extremely popular player as we head into opening week of the 2026 season. The return of the Hitman will be popular, but is it all good news? I take a look at the pros and cons of Harrison Smith’s return.
Pro – Leadership
Smith has been a huge figure for the Vikings for a long time now. He isn’t necessarily a big talker, but he leads by example, and his presence in the locker room will have a positive effect. You just have to look at how the team’s coaches and players spoke about him over the last few months when they were constantly questioned about his potential return.
Con – Steady Decline
Aug 5, 2023; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) during training camp at Twin Cities Orthopedic Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
There’s no getting away from it. The Hitman isn’t the same player he was in 2017, when he was named first-team All-Pro. There has been a steady decline over the years, and questioning how much he has left in the tank is valid. He wasn’t terrible last season; he still made interceptions, sacked the quarterback, and earned a respectable Pro Football Focus grade of 68.9, but he isn’t the force he once was.
Pro – Football Intelligence
Smith has never lacked anything physically, but his football IQ has set him apart and is why he should eventually find his way into the Hall of Fame. In Brian Flores’ notoriously complicated defense, you need intelligent players to make it work. A master of the disguise that Flores wants at the line of scrimmage, Smith has no peers when it comes to fooling quarterbacks by showing pressure and then either either coming downhill or backing out. There’s great nuance needed to do it successfully, and Smith is the best.
Con – No Preseason
Oct 14, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings free safety Harrison Smith (22) reacts during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Smith had a slow start to last season and got better as the year went on. Maybe sitting out the preseason is what he needed to revitalize himself and hit the ground running in 2026. However, I do have a concern about how sharp he will be on the field. Of course, he will have kept himself fit, and his football IQ will help, but it might take him a while to get up to full speed.
Pro – Mentoring the Young Vikings Safeties
Josh Metellus has probably finished his mentorship under the Hitman, which helped a late-round draft pick become a hugely valuable member of the roster. Minnesota has a couple of promising rookies this year in Jacob Thomas and Jakobe Thomas. They will now get a year sat under the learning tree with one of the best to ever do it. That will be a positive for both.
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An Overall Positive
Smith brings so much wisdom to the team that, as long as there isn’t a big decline from last season, I view his return as an overall positive. It will be interesting to see if he remains an every-down player or is used more sparingly. The price tag for his return would suggest that the Vikings will still want a lot from him. Smith should still have something to give, its just a case of how much.
Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
Aramburu, 42, was with another player sitting at a brasserie in Paris in the early hours of March 19, 2022 when they argued with Loik Le Priol and Romain Bouvier.
After the sportsmen left, the two accused are suspected of having fired several shots at Aramburu, who died of his wounds.
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Le Priol, 32, and Bouvier, 35, have been charged with murder and attempted murder respectively in the trial to last several weeks, and risk up to life in jail if they are found guilty.
Le Priol, a former commando and member of a now dissolved ultra-right movement GUD, is suspected of having fired the shots that killed the rugbyman.
He was arrested several days later at the Hungary-Ukraine border, where he told police he was “going to Ukraine to fight” after Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Aramburu had been living in the southwestern French town of Biarritz after retiring. He played club rugby for Perpignan, Biarritz and Dax in France, as well as for the Glasgow Warriors.
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He earned 22 caps for Argentina from 2004 to 2009.
Le Priol and Bouvier were at the time of the killing already under investigation over the 2015 beating of a former GUD official. A court in 2022 sentenced them to two and three years in jail over the incident.
According to the investigation, tensions soared at the restaurant after Aramburu’s friend, fellow rugby player Shaun Hegarty, criticised Le Priol for the way he snapped at another customer. Le Priol tapped him on the head.
As the rugby players left, Aramburu grabbed him by the hood, slamming him to the ground. The ensuing exchange of blows left Le Priol with a few broken teeth, as the rugby players fled the scene.
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After catching up with them in the vehicle of Le Priol’s then girlfriend, Bouvier shot at Aramburu, before escaping. Le Priol then turned up on foot, firing again at the Argentine and killing him.
Did you watch this Walker Cup at Lahinch, in Ireland? Maybe you were one of the 8,000 or so people on hand, watching up close. (Single-day tickets were about $50; kids were free.) Maybe you were watching on Golf Channel, with the American Curtis Cup star Emilia Migliaccio Doran and the former GB&I Walker Cup player Paul McGinley presiding. Poor McGinley, about the most refreshing voice in golf broadcasting today and an Irishman’s Irishman. He must be worn out. He was wearing his big heart on his green sleeve as he practically begged the home 10 to scratch out this half-point or that one.
In the end, his prayers were answered. In this 51st edition of the Walker Cup, the two-day event that unfolds with stunning speed, Great Britain and Ireland defeated a stacked American team, 13.5 to 12.5. Sunday afternoon, in the decisive singles play, GB&I won seven matches, halved two and lost one. GB&I won the event for the first time since 2015. It was amazing.
People will say that the GB&I golfers have more experience playing links golf. That might be true, but seven of the fellas play college golf in the U.S. In other words, they play a lot of their golf shots in the air, often hot, humid and still air, to soft and watered greens. People will say that the GB&I golfers have more experience playing alternate shot. Hmm. Nobody has much experience playing alternate shot.
Cypress Point, where last year’s Walker Cup was played, is at least kinda linksy. The Americans won, 17-9. In 2023, the Walker Cup was at the Old Course — you know, the original links course. The Americans won, 14.5 to 11.5. At National Golf Links, tumbling and firm and oh-so-Scottish, in 2013: America 17, GB&I 9.
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What happened was . . . two spirited teams went out for two days of that’s-the-spirit golf, and as the former Walker Cup golfer Rory McIlroy has noted before, one of the most powerful, mysterious and exciting phenomena in all of sports was fully on display. A team on a roll. Any team. Any sport. What is there like it? What George H. W. Bush (41) liked to call the big mo. And that’s what happened Sunday at Lahinch, the so-called St. Andrews of Ireland, where golf has been played for more than 130 years.
Now would be a good time to recycle what McIlroy wrote the morning after the 2017 Super Bowl, when the Atlanta Falcons led the New England Patriots 28-9 after three quarters and lost in overtime, 34-28:
“What the Patriots did was the most incredible comeback I think I’ve ever witnessed in sports. The massive intangible of momentum was with the Patriots and the Falcons could do nothing to stop it. The thing that will stay with me from watching that game unfold was the total belief the Patriots had, and that all came from their two big leaders in Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
“People call it getting ‘in the zone’ and I’m fortunate to say I’ve experienced it a few times on the golf course. It’s a massive sense of self-belief and conviction that, no matter what you do, things are going to work out in your favor. The power of the mind, I guess! When you’re on the other side of it, like the Falcons were, it’s only right to give yourself time to be upset and dejected. But in time, you can see the positives and pick apart the negatives so you can make certain those mistakes won’t happen again. They didn’t get to the Super Bowl for nothing.”
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This guy would make a good TV analyst — and a good team captain, too.
Stuart Grehan of GB&I celebrating his team’s win with his young son.
getty images
McIlroy’s final event of his short amateur career (he turned pro at 18) was the 2007 Walker Cup at Royal County Down, down the road from his childhood home in Holywood, Northern Ireland. The Americans won, 12.5-11.5, and he and Billy Horschel have been best friends ever since.
No, not really. Match-play golf is always personal.
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OK, we’re straying here from the Sunday action at Lahinch. Suffice it to say, for here and for now, that what McIlroy observed with the Pats at the Super Bowl in 2017 is, in its own way, what happened with the GB&I team at the Walker Cup at Lahinch on Sunday afternoon. Blue (for the home team) was all over the board early, and on it went from there. The American first-aid kit did not have a tourniquet strong enough to stop the bleeding.
This was golf at its best.
In case you’re groggy:
THIS WAS GOLF AT ITS BEST!
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Men’s professional golf, for many years and decades, was one of the coolest things on the world’s sporting stage because the golfers really, really seemed as if this most difficult and cerebral game meant more to them than the money they earned (not discounting that as a motivation). In recent years, a small group of elite male pros have disabused us of that notion. For years and decades, the Ryder Cup, featuring the best American pros playing the best European pros, was the biggest TV show in golf — until the players, the captains, the broadcast partners and the media in general started emphasizing all the wrong things, and the heart of the matter — match-play golf — got trampled.
In its place: the rise and rise of Walker Cup golf.
I realize this next part will seem to be sacrilegious to many, many golf purists. But the Walker Cup — which will be played in even-numbered years going forward, with Bandon Dunes next in 2028 — is in a great spot to become the greatest team event in all of golf. Because the Walker Cup is all about the golfers, the golf they play, the courses where they play it.
This is the part some people will despise: In the name of competitive balance and some other things, the GB&I team could be expanded to include amateurs from Continental Europe, just as the GB&I Ryder Cup team became the European Ryder Cup team in 1979. The lovely and quaint custom by which Walker Cup captains are amateur golfers themselves could be lifted, too. This year’s GB&I captain, Dean Robertson, is a professional golfer, but he was never a household name as a touring pro, to say the least. The Americans have generally had lifelong amateurs as captains, including Bob Jones and Fred Ridley, as well as the late Jay Sigel, who later turned pro.
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But can you imagine Tiger Woods as an American Walker Cup captain? Or Rory McIlroy as a European Walker Cup captain? With the event at Pine Valley or Bandon Dunes or Portrush or St. Andrews? With a few months of buildup on Golf Channel and in golf publications so we can get to know these players before they enter the fray?
Pakistan’s recent struggles have sparked plenty of criticism of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), but former South Africa captain AB de Villiers believes the players themselves must also take responsibility for the team’s alarming performances.The Babar Azam-led Pakistan side endured a miserable start to its England tour, suffering heavy defeats in the first two Tests at Headingley and Lord’s. The results prompted the PCB to make sweeping changes ahead of the third and final Test in Birmingham, including sending seven players home and replacing Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed with white-ball coach Mike Hesson.However, de Villiers believes the problems extend beyond the boardroom. The former Proteas skipper questioned whether enough Pakistan players are willing to put in the hard work required to succeed in Test cricket, particularly when conditions become difficult.
De Villiers questions Pakistan’s character
Pakistan’s struggles with the bat were particularly concerning during the opening two Tests. The first match finished inside three days, while the second went into a fourth day largely because of rain.Across four innings, Pakistan failed to score 200 even once, leaving de Villiers questioning the team’s ability to withstand pressure and fight through difficult periods.“I don’t often currently see a lot of Pakistan players individually being prepared to put in those extra hard yards. Especially with the batting unit. Not enough, what’s the word, guts. Fight. It doesn’t always have to be pretty. Lots of soft wickets, and that’s what it comes down to. It’s a decision that you make,” de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.The former South Africa captain explained that he viewed Test cricket as an opportunity to demonstrate mental strength rather than simply focus on aesthetics or personal statistics.“It’s sometimes ugly and terribly difficult to watch. If I played for my ego, I probably would have been a different player. It was always about how much character I could show out here today. It always felt like a threat to my character from the opposition. That’s the way I decided to play the situation,” he added.De Villiers believes that quality performances in Test cricket often come down to a player’s ability to respond when circumstances are stacked against them.“I always felt that Test cricket was a test of your character. That’s maybe what Pakistan is lacking at the moment. A bit of character, a bit of fight. An individual leadership group of four or five players who decide together, you know what, let’s be the leaders here and show the guys,” said the former Proteas skipper.He added: “Let’s be the example. Show the youngsters what it takes to win Test matches, ODIs, or T20S. Maybe that is the area they’re lacking in.”
PCB instability also a major concern
While de Villiers was critical of the players, he did not absolve the PCB of responsibility.Pakistan cricket has gone through repeated changes in leadership and coaching in recent years, with several coaches and captains coming and going. Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, for instance, departed after allegedly being sidelined by the selection committee headed by Aaqib Javed.De Villiers believes this instability has played a part in Pakistan’s decline and stressed the importance of giving the current leadership greater continuity.“Also, a bit of mismanagement from the top. Lots of chopping and changing. Lots of changes in leadership. Babar is back now. So hopefully he gets an extended run, stays fit, and starts scoring runs again like we all know he can. And for his fellow teammates to start following that lead,” said de Villiers.Babar’s return to the leadership group comes at a difficult moment for Pakistan, with the team attempting to rebuild following the heavy defeats in England.
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De Villiers hopes Pakistan can recover
Despite his criticism, de Villiers remains hopeful that Pakistan can rediscover the quality that has made them competitive across formats.He believes a stronger leadership group, greater character from the players and improved stability at the administrative level could help the team turn things around.“So that’s my long and short on Pakistan cricket. Hopefully they’ll make their way back to the form and to the team that we know they can be in all formats of the game,” he concluded.Pakistan will now have one final opportunity to respond on the England tour when they face the hosts in the third and final Test in Birmingham. With major changes already made before the series has concluded, the team will be under pressure to show considerably more fight and character in the final match.
;)
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